A grassroots advocacy group involving parents has found a shocking correlation between private schools and health-harming air pollution in south London.
What's happening?
As detailed by the Guardian, a new analysis by Solve the School Run found that nitrogen dioxide pollution increased by 27% when private schools were open along with public state-run academies, even though private schools have around 50% fewer pupils than state schools. The levels of fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, also rose by 25%.
"It's well established in the area that in the weeks when only state schools are open, the traffic is much lighter, partly because those schools have much lower driving rates," Nicola Pastore, parent and co-founder of Solve the School Run, told the Guardian.
"It may be that the exact numbers are not precise, but I'm confident there is a strong association," Ben Barratt, an Imperial College London professor in environmental exposures and public health, said of the analysis.
The group used data from Breathe London's community air monitoring program and bus times from Transport for London to monitor the levels of air pollution.
Why is this concerning?
Exposure to nitrogen dioxide pollution is associated with a variety of health complications, including heart problems, lung cancer, and asthma — a disease resulting in school absences for more than one in five children in the United Kingdom each year, per the University of Brighton.
Meanwhile, researchers at the University of Southern California linked PM2.5 to poorer learning and memory performance. This type of air pollution is also associated with asthma.
Speaking to the Guardian, Pastore also highlighted how her community was more peaceful when it didn't have to deal with private school traffic.
"As a mother of three children, it feels like you can breathe again because you don't have to worry so much about your children getting hit, and there isn't the stress of noise and pollution," Pastore said. "It's just a much calmer and more enjoyable journey to school."
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Always 💯 What is being done about this?
Dulwich College, a private school in London, met with Solve the School Run and shared that it is "very aware" it needs to encourage more sustainable modes of transportation, such as walking or cycling, according to the Guardian. A spokesperson added that 32% of its pupils already commute to school by foot, bike, or scooter.
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Pastore also spotlighted how infrastructure can influence transportation decisions, saying: "We'd like to see more safe, convenient and sustainable travel choices for families. These include parent-free travel options like primary-age school buses as well as much safer cycling routes."
Advocating for your community at town halls or school board meetings is one way to raise awareness about this issue in your own jurisdictions.
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